cold cap ?
cold cap ? hi all, i am starting my chemo in two weeks (FEC)and have been told i could use a cold cap as this will reduce the chance of hairloss by 30-40%. can anyone tell me what the cold cap is like and has anyone used it and still lost their hair ?
dawn xx
cold cap Hi Dawn
I’m sure you’ll get lots of replies with different experiences. I tried the cold cap when I had FEC 4 years ago and I still lost my hair, but as everyone is different you never know and I guess it’s worth a try!
This time with taxotere I haven’t bothered as I guess it’s just going to happen anyway again!
All the best with your treatment
Helen
cold cap? go for it I think I am about to cause confusion - dawn as well! I’ll stick with dawn(hc) in the hopes we won’t get too tied in knots!
Dawn - I have had cold cap through 3 different types of chemo - on ECF (I think your FEC is very similar) it thinned quite a lot but did not all fall out - didn’t look too bad most of the time. On taxotere I was told a cold cap was a waste of time it would be total hair loss - but I argued back that if there was no medical reason why I couldn’t have the cold cap then I wanted it! And guess what - I didn’t lose any hair. Didn’t have any problems with vinorelbine either.
Some people say it is very painful/uncomfortable - but I was prewarned and found after the first few minutes it was fine - too numb to feel anything? I think the cap has to be kept on as long as the drug takes to go thru’ plus a bit more.
When I had treatment it was in the days before the proper caps were around and I had icepacks moulded round a polystyrene head which they kept in the freezer. When it was time for your treatment they got them out and moulded them to the shape of your head as best they could and they used to drip all over the place if it was for a long treatment. I know quite a few people say that they really dont care if they lose their hair - and I have talked to others who have said this but when it came to the crunch minded very much.
But in the hospital I see so many with wigs on and they are pretty fantastic. I hope this is helpful and really wish you well with your treatment- look forward to hearing how it goes for you.
Love Dawn (hc)
Hi Dawn Hi Dawn,
I have just finished my 4th cycle of FEC & I have been using the cold cap. After the 1st session I had almost no hair loss but after my 2nd I lost alot of hair on the top of my head. I am convinced that it is because the chemo nurse hadn’t put it on tight enough. I have continued with the cold cap through my 3rd & 4th cycles & I have noticed that the hair I lost during my 2nd cycle has started to grow again. This is enough reason for me to carry on with the cold cap through my 5th & 6th cycles. My hair is alot thinner than it used to be but I would rather have a covering of hair than none at all & it looks normal when I wear a hat or a thick headband.
The cold cap isn’t pleasant but it is nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. The 1st 10 mins are the worse.
I would suggest that you try it for your 1st cycle & see how it goes but make sure that the chemo nurses put it on tight enough.
I hope your chemo goes well, love Lisa x
By the way I was told I had 70% chance of keeping my hair with the cold cap!
Lisa x
— I am on FEC, and half way through 2nd cycle. I tried the cold-cap but it hasn’t worked too well for me. Just before me second cycle I started losing hair and now (2 weeks later) I only have about 25% left. It is particularly thin on my crown, which doesn’t make much sense to me because that’s where my parting is, so should’ve benefited most from the cooling.
I blame the failure mostly in my case on my hair being so thick and so long to start with. On the first cycle the cold-cap wasn’t too uncomfortable, but on the second time round I could hardly bear it, even though I took paracetomol beforehand as advised by the nurse. I think that tells me it just wasn’t reaching my scalp fully at the first cycle.
I don’t want to put you off however… I may not yet abandon the cold-cap althogether. If it looks like I can hang onto what little hair I now have left I might just stick with it. At least I can wear a bandanna or cap and still have hair showing round my shoulders. A little hair still goes a long way.
To improve your chances of success - do have a short hair-cut. It also makes it loads easier to brush and wash, without it getting matted up, and losing even more! Start using baby-shampoo now (or anything mild and ph-balanced).
COLD CAP Hi Dawn, I had a very positive experieince with the cold cap when I had 6 x FEC in 2003. The Oncology suite had various sizes of cold caps and found one to suit one’s head. They looked like a motor cycle helmet, and were attached by a line to a freezing unit at the side of the reclining chair. I had to wear it for 30 mins before the chemo infusion, throughout the treatment, about an hour, and for an hour afterwards. It is very cold to start with but you soon become used to it. I found my hair thinned on top a bit, but not so as anyone would notice. I never needed to wear my wig. The nurses were brilliant - wrap you up in a duvet and bring as many hot drinks as you like.
I would usually end up sleeping through most of the treatment. I can highly recommend it.
Liz.
cold cap cold cap
posted on 7.03.06 8:21 pm
swro
—I’m not sure if you’ll have started your chemo or not yet but I had 6 months of chemo last year ending on 1st Sept and persevered with the cold cap throughout. It was a bit uncomfortable and prolonged each chemo session ( you have to have the cap on for about 30 mins before treatment, during treatment and then for about 90 mins afterwards), but it was well worth it. Don’t get me wrong, I did lose quite a lot of hair (and I did pick up a wig on the NHS just in case) but thankfully, for me retaining something of a normal look was very important. People have said that they couldn’t tell that I had lost so much hair but I knew my hair had gone thin. I’m not sure if a cold cap works for everyone but I would definitely say give it a go- it worked for me. I hope this helps and is not too late. Best of luck.
cold cap Hi Dawn,
I used the cold cap when first diagnosed in 2003 and kept my hair (it thinned quite a bit though). I had FEC chemo then.
I was diagnosed again last year and had Taxotere and EC. I tried the cold cap with my first Taxotere but two weeks later my hair started falling out rapidly. I then decided not to bother with the cold cap again. Maybe if I had perservered with it I would have had some hair left at least. Who knows.
love
Sue
— hi, i had first fec treatment last thursday and decided not to use the cold cap and saw wig lady last week so i am ready, i think i prefer knowing whats going to happen rather than more wait and see so thats what finally decided it for me
this regime is better than last time (cmf) as other than 4 days of anti-sickness there is no tablets to take at home, last time i seemed to be forever at the hospital or self medicating at home.
thanks for all your replys, take care all
love dawn xx.
tender scalp I had my first treatment with FEC 17 days ago. I used the cold cap at the Marsden in Sutton. They have a motor cycle type helmet which is put on 15 minutes before and is left on 30 minutes after. I found the cold on my forehead unbearable but after I stuffed my husband’s old hankie under the front it was much better.
Hair loss on my head so far is slightly more than normal but I am finding my scalp very tender, almost painful. Did anyone else find this and are there any solutions.